Extra work raises game for Hawks' Horford

Al Horford's practice regimen is a little bit like his game: methodical but effective.

Before or after Hawks practices, Horford puts up dozens of shots from different spots on the floor. Assistant coach Tyrone Hill and usually another assistant or staffer shag rebounds and pass to him. The sessions typically last about 45 minutes.

Sometimes, Horford takes several shots in a row from one spot on the floor, like the baseline or the elbows.

Other times he shoots from two spots, shuttling back and forth between shots. The jump shot is always the same – feet squared to the basket, the slight lift, the high release and the held follow-through. He also rehearses his repertoire of moves at the basket, like his running one-hander.

"He's a coach's dream," Hill said. "He'll do everything you ask him to do."

Since his 2007-08 rookie season, the Hawks center could be counted on for defense, rebounding and effort. This season, with the extra attention to his shot, Horford has become more dangerous on the offensive end.

His scoring average (13.7 points per game) and field goal percentage (58.3 percent, which also ranked fourth in the NBA going into Tuesday's games) are the highest of his three-year career. He has six 20-point games, just one fewer than he had all of last season.

"He's one of those guys that's going to continue to work and add something to his game every year," coach Mike Woodson said. "When you do that, that's when you become an All-Star and a player in this league that everybody respects."

Horford, 23, will learn if he will become an All-Star next Thursday, when the NBA announces the reserves for the Feb. 14 All-Star game in Dallas. He is a strong candidate, averaging 9.8 rebounds with 18 double-doubles, both of which ranked in the top 12 in the league. He has been an indispensable piece of the Hawks' challenge for the Southeast Division title.

"I really don't know about all that," Horford said of an All-Star invitation. "I obviously hope. It would be great if I get nominated for something like that, but I really can't get caught up in that."

Horford started his extra shooting work with Hill this season. The sessions are high on functionality; he practices the shots that he takes in games. The baseline, for instance, is a spot he often rolls to after setting screens.

"Once I've been playing with a team for a couple years, I have a good feeling of how our offense works and where my shots come from," Horford said. "This season, we've made an effort to work on those shots and be ready to shoot them in a game."

The baseline jumper has become a particularly effective part of his catalog. He dropped several against Phoenix last Friday, along with one shot from near the elbow, making 10 of 13 shots along with four free throws for a team-high 24 points in the Hawks' win.

It was part of a typically effective game. He had nine rebounds. He forced Phoenix to burn a timeout by tightly defending Suns guard Steve Nash on an inbounds pass after a Hawks free throw. He passed out of a double team in the post to Mike Bibby, who hit a 3-pointer. Late in the game, as the Hawks came back from a 93-86 deficit, a switch left him guarding Nash at the top of the key. When Nash tried to drive to the basket, Horford stayed with him and Nash shot his floater over the backboard. About a minute later, he set a screen on Grant Hill that freed up Jamal Crawford to drive to the basket and create a game-tying dunk for Josh Smith.

Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry called Horford a "key factor" in getting the Hawks back in the game.

"To me, he's the epitome of what a blue-collar player is," Gentry said. "He's almost old school, I think, in just that there's not a whole lot of flair to his game or anything. But he's a very efficient player, he's got a lot of toughness, I think, and he's just a big-time competitor."

Horford's extra shooting is a byproduct of his competitiveness and a desire to duplicate the rush he felt winning back-to-back NCAA titles at Florida.